Compare / n8n vs Activepieces
n8n vs Activepieces
Pick n8n if you want the bigger node library and already accept fair-code. Pick Activepieces if you want MIT community code, a simpler pieces model, and the dedicated Apache/MIT-shaped stack at /stacks/activepieces.
Facts checked 17 Oct 2026. License, language, and GitHub activity come from the catalog or the project's own repo. "Not in the catalog row" means the public catalog dump does not store that number.
n8n in the catalog Activepieces in the catalog
How they compare
| n8n | Activepieces | |
|---|---|---|
| License | Sustainable Use License (fair-code); .ee. files need n8n Enterprise source | MIT Expat for community code; packages/ee/ is a separate license source |
| Language | TypeScript (n8n-io/n8n) source | TypeScript (activepieces/activepieces) source |
| GitHub activity | 207,775 stars, pushed 17 Oct 2026 (not in the catalog row) source | 25,082 stars, pushed 17 Oct 2026 (not in the catalog row) source |
| Self-host | Official image + Postgres; volume at /home/node/.n8n. Workers stack adds Redis. | Official image + Postgres + Redis. Redis is required for the job queue. |
| Best for | The biggest node library and webhook ingress. | A simpler pieces model if n8n feels heavy. |
Self-hosting and resource needs
Both run as one app container plus Postgres. n8n (simple stack) persists /home/node/.n8n and uses the official n8nio/n8n image; queue mode adds Redis and a worker. Activepieces needs Postgres and Redis (AP_CONTAINER_TYPE=WORKER_AND_APP). c17 publishes one-click Railway templates for both.
FAQ
- Is n8n OSI open source?
- No. The public repo LICENSE.md puts community code under the Sustainable Use License and keeps .ee. files behind n8n Enterprise. This site already treats n8n as the Zapier replacement and Activepieces as the OSI-shaped sibling.
- Does Activepieces still say Apache-2.0?
- Older docs and some c17 stack copy said Apache-2.0. The LICENSE in activepieces/activepieces on 17 Oct 2026 is MIT Expat for community code, with packages/ee/ under a separate license.
- Which one has a Railway template?
- Both. /stacks/n8n-automation (and /stacks/n8n-workers) and /stacks/activepieces each have a published one-click template with referralCode=4xHDyE.
- Can I run both?
- You can, but do not combine them in one project. Pick one graph editor on day one.
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